1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates to a rack lifting system for deep fryers for the food service industry. More particularly, this disclosure relates to a basket and rack lifting system that lifts large food loads that travel into a deep frying vessel. Still more particularly, the rack lifting system is operatively connected to temperature and timing controls to control the lowering and lifting of the rack from the vat.
2. Description of Related Art
A commercial deep fat fryer typically has a vat which holds melted shortening or oil in a heated surface of either tank walls or tubes extending through the lower portion of the tank which heat the oil to the cooking temperature. Alternatively, such a vat has walls that are heated. When the oil is at a proper temperature an operator must lower a large quantity of food into the tank until it is cooked and then retrieve it. Foods typically cooked in a commercial situation with a deep fat fryer include battered coated chicken, fish and non-battered coated items such a French fries. In a commercial situation it is desirable to cook large quantities of such foods, but the problem of lowering the food into the tank, and retrieving the cooked food from the tank should require only a minimum involvement of an operator. Most importantly, substantial operator exertion and cooking discretion should not be required for customer and operator safety, particularly when the loads are large and the fryers are deep.
Currently, rack lifting systems for frying in deep fryers that are manually lifted and controlled are commercially available. Such systems use different motors and mechanical lifts to move fryer baskets or rack systems into cooking oil. Other systems use cables, guide rails and motorized pulley systems to raise and lower the food for cooking.
With all such systems, reliability and safety are concerns. Automated basket and rack lifting systems must be able to lower the food to be cooked into the cooking oil at the proper cooking temperature. This is particularly true when the fryer handles large food product loads that must travel deep into the frying vessel. Food that is undercooked presents health concerns and food that is is overcooked is unsatisfactory for the consumer. Further, the large volume of cooking oil and the large amount of food to be cooked can present a safety concern for the operator.
Accordingly, there is a need for a basket and rack lifting system that is able to travel into a deep frying vessel that is operatively connected to a controller that monitors temperature and timing controls to automatically raise and lower the food product out of the cooking oil at a predetermined cooking cycle.